SACRAMENTO –Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) released the following statement today following the ruling in United States v. Skrmetti upholding state laws that deny gender-affirming care for minors:

SACRAMENTO – Today the Pink Triangle atop San Francisco’s Twin Peaks was vandalized. SFPD arrested a suspect in connection with the case. Senator Wiener issued the following statement in response:

SACRAMENTO – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced her office will bring hate crime charges in the case of an assault that occurred in San Francisco Friday morning. Senator Wiener issued the following statement in response:

SACRAMENTO – The Joint California Policy Working Group on AI Frontier Models released its final report presenting a framework for the governance of AI models in California. The Working Group was convened by Governor Gavin Newsom when he announced his veto of Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 1047. Senator Wiener issued the following statement in response to the interim report’s release:

SACRAMENTO – Senator Dave Cortese’s (D-Silicon Valley) bill providing swift legal remedies for individuals who have had their privacy rights violated by the unauthorized use of their name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness for commercial purposes today was unanimously passed by the state Assembly Judiciary Committee. Senate Bill 683 now goes to the state Assembly floor for a vote.  

SACRAMENTO – At a critical time as the state of California scrambles to build more privately financed affordable housing, and rebuild from the devastation caused by fires in Southern California, state Senator Dave Cortese’s Senate Bill 61 would fast track payment of money due to construction contractors and subcontractors for work performed by reducing the amount of retention payments withheld from 10 percent to 5 percent. 

SACRAMENTO – State Senator Dave Cortese’s SB 553 streamlining access to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) facilities including prisons and other detention facilities by granting short-term clearance to legislators, legal professionals, and more without requiring repeated applications today was passed by the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

SACRAMENTO –  Senator Dave Cortese’s (D-Silicon Valley) SB 551 is an effort to improve the prison stress level for correctional officers and the rehabilitative environment for inmates so they can return to their communities and not re-offend. Today it passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

SAN FRANCISCO – Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Jesse Arreguin (D-Berkeley) introduced SB 627, the No Secret Police Act. The bill prohibits law enforcement at all levels from covering their faces while conducting operations in the state of California. The bill also requires officers to be identifiable via their uniform, whether with name or other identifier. As the Trump Administration expands the use of secret police tactics, SB 627 boosts transparency and supports public safety by bolstering public trust in law enforcement. 

SACRAMENTO – Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) and Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego) issued the following statement condemning the horrific political violence in Minnesota:
“The shocking and tragic assassination and targeted political violence in Minnesota are sickening. Our hearts go out to Speaker Hortman and Senator Hoffman's families, the communities they proudly represent, and all Minnesotans.